A total of 24,013 cases filed for political reasons and to harass individuals have been withdrawn so far, Law Minister Md Asaduzzaman has told parliament.
He disclosed the information during the question-and-answer session on the second day of the fourth session of the National Parliament, presided over by Speaker Major (retd) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.
The minister was responding to a written question from Md Keramat Ali, MP for Chapainawabganj-1.
In his question, Keramat Ali said thousands of people were still facing harassment as various allegedly false and politically motivated cases filed during the previous regime remained unresolved. He sought an explanation for the delay in disposing of the cases and asked whether the government had a roadmap for resolving them.
In response, Asaduzzaman said the process of withdrawing politically motivated harassment cases began during the interim government. After taking office, the current government took initiatives to accelerate and streamline the process.
As part of the initiative, a four-member committee headed by the district magistrate was formed in each district on March 5, 2026.
The committees review applications for withdrawal, along with the First Information Report (FIR), charge sheet, where applicable, and the opinion of the public prosecutor.
They assess whether a case was filed to politically harass someone, whether its continuation serves the public interest and whether proceeding with it could compromise the state's interests before making recommendations for withdrawal.
The minister said a six-member central committee, with him as its convener, was formed on March 8 to coordinate the process and review recommendations from the district-level committees.
He added that the government would take necessary steps to withdraw a case once an application was received and the relevant district committee recommended its withdrawal on the grounds that it had been filed for harassment.